Tougher and tougher

We went for a lovely meal with friends (a Chinese takeaway).  Karen has been my close friend since I met her at college despite there being over 10 years difference in our ages.  She has always supported me through thick and thin.  She allowed us all to stay with her family between houses, she drove me for my chemotherapy treatments even though she was still breastfeeding her firstborn, she helped my eldest daughter deal with the death of my mother (I was in the States).  I've never had a friend like that and it was a tough good bye.  First time I have really felt loss at our emigration.
Then yesterday, I had a lovely day in York with another close friend.  I was given a silver charm of a coffee cup to remind me of all the times we had had a cuppa together.  So, so grateful for these amazing people.  Really hope that I find good friends in the USA and also that I keep my present friends from afar.

Off went the van.....

Well all the furniture has now gone!  It feels very strange.  The two guys who packed everything were amazing.  Really professional.  I would totally recommend PSS - well assuming it all gets to the States ok!  They loaded everything onto the container in the pouring rain.  The weather really could not have been worse!

Everything was packed and labelled and had a number on it.  There were 141 boxes in all.  Astonishingly well packed too!

Now this really did impress.....two men carrying the piano out of the house, down the steps and into the container!  Amazing

Luckily, the box was the right size - I measured it last year so it was a bit of a tense moment I have to say...

The container was sealed

Here's the container being filled

And here it is leaving us for Leeds.  It went by road to Leeds and then is going to Tamesport in London (well Kent) by train and there it will wait for the Stuttgart Express container ship.  We are able to track the ship to some extent but it wont be in Tamesport until 4th October as it's on its way from Halifax Nova Scotia.

So there we go......our home packed away until we buy a house in the US!

Hither and thither

Well, it's been a hectic few days I have to say.  The shippers arrived to pack the furniture.  Just two of them!  It was a bit nerve-wracking really.  Not sure what to do.  Showed the foreman what needed packing (pretty much everything!) and then hung about for a bit.  Eventually we felt in the way so we left and went back to our apartment.  Took them some fish and chips for their lunch.  They had made a good start - never seen so much brown paper in my life!!

It's very odd to see our stuff wrapped up.  Everything is being labelled though.  They really seem very good but I suppose the proof is in the safe arrival of it all.  They were at the house until 6.00pm and then arrived at 8.00 the following morning.

The weather couldn't really have been worse - astonishing amount of rainfall and cold with it.  Really hoping that the rain eases up when they take the stuff out of the house.

This morning, we popped up and took their lunch orders.  Just getting back to the apartment when Virgin rang to say they were collecting the Virgin boxes in 10 minutes!!  No warning of this, so....back up the hill we went and met the man there and gave him the boxes back.  Then back down to the apartment for a bit of a chill and catch up.........phew!

Oh my!

Well yesterday we had our Open House before we leave.  It was simply lovely with so many good wishes and lovely comments written.  And a couple of really thoughtful presents. Will be keeping the cards and putting them up in our new house in San Diego.  Just to remind me, these are the people who came.

Anne and Colin
Susan and her partner
Helen and her partner (JP)
Robert and Sheila
Jane and James with Hugo and Harry
Juliette, Darren, Emilie and Oliver
Sue R
Sue T
Mandy, Craig and Kelly
Toni and Pasqualle - such a lovely surprise!!
Debbi, Richard and Ben - travelled miles!
Gwen, Emma, Gary and his girlfriend - another shock!
Sarah and Carl - such a help and we actually managed to get something to eat when they arrived.
It was a very moving evening.  We have stacks of food left and bottles and bottles of wine (including one champagne) which is quite hard really as lots of people brought wine but we can't take it with us so will have to drink some and give quite a lot away.

it was a simply lovely evening and I for one felt very blessed to have had so many lovely people in my life.  Goodness me I shall miss them.  And WHY didn't I take photos??

A very British trip

Well, we have had nearly three days in the Lake District.  We stayed at The Pheasant Inn in Bassenthwaite.  It was simply lovely.  We had a room overlooking the front of the hotel and it
 was really peaceful.

We really didn't do much except walk, drive and relax which was just what I needed!  We had tea, with a teapot and a strainer and homemade shortbread. The inn itself was very cottagy and very British so it was a nice 'goodbye' visit really.  The scenery is stunning and although the weather wasn't brilliant it made for some good pictures!

We went to Wastwater which is easily the most brooding and dramatic of the lakes.  It was excellent.  Mind you, now we are home and have to get everything ready for the Open House tomorrow.  I can feel my stress levels rising as I type.

Tick, tick, tick.......

Realised in bed last night that we only have one more week in this house!!
Spent yesterday afternoon at A & E because the leg of the desk dropped onto my ankle and needed to check that it wasn't broken - thank goodness it not!  Never been so relieved.  However two hours was quite boring although the nurse practitioner was just lovely.

Have now sorted out the cancelling of the car insurance and a letter about my no claims bonus, we have booked our 'flu jabs for the day after the shippers have been.  We have also just booked a company to come and deep clean the cooker - £89!!!  Good grief!

So the diary is getting really full.  We maybe need to emigrate for a rest!

Shipping!

Well, today we had further information about shipping our furniture and things to the USA.  This is a picture of the container ship.

It's called the Stuttgart Express.  Looks a bit worrying to have the furniture on one of the topmost containers I have to say!
We have finally sorted out most of the study - just the desk to dismantle now and we did other little things, like dealing with the Council Tax and checking with the police that it was ok to have the container parked outside!  It is!
Collected 4 months of medicine for me at the chemist and have packed it into my hand luggage.  I will try to remember to take a picture but the bag is full!!  Oo-er!

Only 20 days to go.  Seems surreal at the moment.

Last night we had a curry at the Pack Horse - last one I think.

Bits and Pieces!

Well the car is sold!!  Really pleased because she has been sold to a good friend who lives in Saltburn.  They are coming down by train and going back in the car.  So, what other things have wee been up to?

• Well, this morning I went into school to do the staff photos for the website.  They were ok, but could have been better I think.  Never mind......
• Then Steve spent hours on the phone because he needs to transfer/change his Amex card from here to the US.  They needed every detail you can think of apart from shirt size!  I have to do the same sometime so at least I will be prepared.  
• Then he rang the AAA (American Automobile Association) as we will have a hire car and then, of course, our own.

It's strange to think that we will be in America in less than a month now!  My brain is very occupied with what to do for the Open House especially as we have no idea how many people will be coming.  I'm sure it will sort itself out but it's keeping me awake a bit.

Onwards and upwards.....

Scams!

Who would have believed it?  I have had two scam emails from people who wanted to 'buy' my car!!  Well, clearly they didn't.  They wanted to STEAL my car.  Have forwarded both the emails to the fraud squad - what a blessing to have Sarah in the family.  Still the good thing is now, that I know how to spot them :-)

Going and Coming!

Well, been advertising my car for a few days.  Someone was interested and came to look at it last night in the dark (?) anyway, they agreed that they would buy it.

So I was thrilled as you can imagine.  Anyway, to cut a long story short, they asked for a reduction because the insurance was going to be too much.  I can't afford to reduce the price and actually it's worth £200 more than it was advertised for.  So, back to square one!

Today has also seen a HUGE reduction in my bank balance.  Paid the money to PSS for the shipping of all our furniture which was over £5,000 but I suppose, in the grand scheme of things it's not too bad.

Also went to the opticians today to collect my varifocals.  Have worn them all day, but think I will use my lenses everyday and the glasses in the evening.

And the lists go on!

So, today we have

• Continued to try to sell the car,
• Found the little key thingy that I will need to change the SIM card in my iPhone when we get to the states
• Filled out five different forms for US customs etc.
• Scanned the forms and sent them to the shippers
• Sorted all the crap out from under the computer
• Found out for sure that I can take just 3 months of medication with me
• Decided to send the iMac with the shippers which means we will be without it for weeks.
• Been to see an apartment and decided that that is where we will stay for our nine homeless days

• Been on a 'fast' day with our diet which is really hard today!
• Advertised our tape to DVD software to people
• Asked if anyone wants my old Tele-Call card if they are in hospital
• Rung the guy who has been doing up a little cupboard for us
• Rung school to see how the first day back went (well, as it happens)
• Left as message with the Estate Agents who have not got back to us.

Hoping against hope that I sleep tonight having had another bad night last night.  Mind you, surely there can't be much more stuff to buzz around inside my brain tonight?

Stress

Feeling more than a bit stressed at the moment!  Such a lot to do.  This morning I have put adverts out for my little car and of course I have had to get it valeted etc.

Had to sort out my medication for when we go but can't find out how much I can take with me.  Needed to contact my bank and also the Teachers Pension people about having money paid abroad.
Needed to phone and email the removers about the furniture going and of course had a thousand queries.
Have tried, with Steve to sort out the lounge but we haven't finished and now I'm too tired.  I know it's all going to be good, but didn't think it would be like this.

Even more Excitement!

We still haven't heard from our buyers who are waiting to sell their house, but......, we have decided.  We are going to let the furniture go at the end of September and we are going to emigrate in early October!  Since we made the decision, I have had an overload of adrenalin and been unable to sleep but now have made lists which should help!!  Have to sell Poppy, my car, but have already had some interest so fingers crossed.
There is just so much to do!  I have put on the calendar which rooms we are tackling on which day so that makes it easier.  Sarah has now accepted that we are going and is much happier about it which is such a relief I can't begin to tell you.  She is happy to help get rid of stuff for us too - such a lovely daughter to have.  We are going for a meal with the two of them before we go.  We will go to La Tavas
which is a restaurant that Sarah and Carl love.  She's going to organise that bit!
Wondered about having a Bon Voyage party but because I have now realised that there is only about 5 weeks until we go we are having an open house evening instead.  Much more manageable I think.
This is our list (although we have done quite a bit of it)

MOT car and then sell it - half done

Contact Mick about the cupboard - done

Order American lead for the iMac - done

Take Mandy and Craig out for a ‘thank you’ meal - done

Eat the food in the freezer - doing

Change address for bank

Organise money and pension

Clean oven

Send iMac over to USA

Book holiday cottage from 22nd September

Contact PSS

People to visit - open day 21st September

Lounge

Remove drinks and put in Kitchen if we are not taking them with us

Put ‘memory cards’ out of the drawer into the box in the attic.

Make sure drawers are full of stuff that is easy to pack

Kitchen

Make sure cupboards are full of “packables”

Pack up all food and drink so that it can be given away/packed for us

Get the oven professionally cleaned

Dining room

Check drawers in bureau

Get rid of old wrapping paper

Check sideboard contents are easy to pack

Study

Fold up the treadmill

Dismantle the desk

Check contents of the filing cabinet

Move large plastic folder to Dressing room and make sure it has all the vital documents in it

Move green PSS file to Dressing room

Dressing room

Sort clothes - leave only those we are going to wear for the next 6 weeks

Put the rest of the clothes in the bedroom

Sort the cupboards and drawers and put surplus in bedroom

Bedroom

Get rid of side tables and lamps

We are TAKING the light and the curtains

Bathroom

Sort through the airing cupboard

Get rid of any liquids

Cellar

Check the shelves at the top of the cellar steps

Oh my!

Excitement

Finding it fard to keep the excitement down!  Still, why should I?
Still waiting for our prospective buyers to sell their house - hoping that happens fairly soon as we still have the furniture booked to go at the end of September.  The TV box has broken which is just typical, but the man from Virgin is here now and fixing it.
Excited, excited, excited!!

VIVA LA VISA!

On the 8th August, we travelled down to London.  Stayed at The Sumner hotel which was really lovely and thoroughly to be recommended.

In the evening we met with some of my cousins which was lovely as it's maybe the last time for a get together in this country.
On the 9th August, after breakfast we set off for the American Embassy.  You were not allowed to take anything electronic with you or any large bags.  We set off from the hotel at about 9.10am as our interview was at 10.00 and we joined the queue which really wasn't too long.  Got to the front of the queue at about 9.30.  We were searched of course and I'd left my little Apple earphones in my bag.  The guy said we would have to go back out but we must have looked crestfallen because he changed his mind and said that he would 'get rid of them' and threw them in a corner.  Of course, he said, if I gave him a wink on the way out, he might be able to find them!  We went into the main embassy and got given our number.  It was one with an I in front of it which I assume stood for immigrant visa.  There weren't many of those, but the place was packed with mostly people waiting for number beginning with N - not sure what they were.
Of course, I chose where to sit and it was beside the most garrulous man in the world!  Good grief!  The numbers shifted fairly fast and after about 30 minutes our number was called.  We went through to a window where all our documentation was and the guy went through it all and took our fingerprints.  He took a long time.  He also attached our visa photos to a form.
Then we were given a pink form to complete and told to sit back in the waiting room until the number was called again.  That didn't take so long.  We went to a different window and an American woman who was a consular officer again took our fingerprints.  We had to swear an oath that we had told the truth on all our forms.  For the oath, we had to hold our hand up as if we were in court. Then she asked us why we wanted to emigrate so we told her about the grandchildren living in California.  She asked about our other daughter in the UK and how she felt too.
Then she said that our VISAS WOULD BE GRANTED and that we should take the pink form to the mailing desk.  She kept our passports and stuff.  She also showed us a large envelope that she said would be sent to us and that we should take it, unopened when we went to the States.  We were also told that the visas will only last until December!
I was shaking with excitement - it was amazing.  Everyone else in the Embassy seemed cool calm and collected but Steve and I did a little skip on our way to the mailing desk!!
We paid the £22 for the visas to be mailed and they will come in the next 7-10 days before noon and we have to make sure that someone with proof of our identity is there to receive them.  On the way out we popped into the office where we came in and a 'secret handshake' was given to get my headphones back !! :-)
Cannot believe it!!

Steve at the message board at King's Cross Station!

We went to the station for the train back home - shattered but really happy.  Had a Dominos pizza and some champagne to celebrate!

OFFER ACCEPTED!

Well we had a lovely couple to view the house on Saturday and they came back for a second viewing this morning.  They were here a long, long time.  Writing notes etc.  Then they made us an offer.  We pushed them up a bit and then accepted it.  It's a lot lower than the house was on sale for but it's higher than the quick sale places and money isn't everything.  Really excited as I don't think they will let us down!
WOO HOO!

Trying to sell...

Well, the estate agent came to see us to give us options for selling the house.  Auctions and renting are out as it waiting for ever.  So we are going down the 'quick sale' route.  We have sent enquiries to a number of places and Steve had lots of calls yesterday.  All offers are very low but there might be one that we can accept - watch this space.

Of course, if you want to make an offer:

House for Sale

A nice thing.....my cousin has organised a mini get together in London when we go down for our interview. :-)

WOO HOO!

Well what a day yesterday was!!  I had my last Governors meeting at school.  Quite a lengthy one.  At the end of the meeting they said they had prepared a mini-party for me!  There were beautiful cupcakes with glitter on and a divine chocolaty thing as well as some bubbly!  Also I got presented with the most beautiful bouquet!  What a lovely surprise.

Came home, bath and bed and then Steve came to tell me that Emma was on Skype.  I thought it might be bad news but no........she had got emails for both of us to tell us that we have our visa interviews in London on 9th August!  How exciting.  Of course then I couldn't sleep at all.  Things running round my head.  And of course we really need to sell this house now.
The appointment is right in the middle of the Olympics so accommodation costs in London are sky high but...................WE HAVE OUR INTERVIEW!

Bidding

Well, never done an online bid before but I have today!  Bush House is being deserted by the BBC and they are moving to somewhere new so they are selling off the contents.  There is a Lucien Freud painting.  Starting at £10 - so I have bid £25 and am in the lead at the moment.  Of course there is absolutely no chance of winning it, but it's an interesting process.

Illness

No, not me, but poor Henry is suffering from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  It is so stressful for him and Emma too and I feel VERY frustrated not being there to help.
See if he had a broken leg or something, it would be easier for everyone, including Henry to deal with.  Why is mental illness given such a stigma?  He is a great husband and dad but at the moment all anyone can see is the illness.  It has changed him and it's easy to forget what he is really like.  I think that serving his country for 20 years in the US Navy has a lot to answer for.  At least in the US PTSD is much more understood and he is beginning to get help.  It will be a long process.  I am really praying for the whole lovely family.

Sadness

Heard today that Stephen Ingham has died.  He was one of our group of magistrates.  A lovely, lovely man.  Very gentle, understanding and with a wicked sense on humour.  He died of cancer.  He's been ill for some time but kept going until the very last.
Such sad news.  Feel privileged to have know him.  Rest in Peace Stephen

Viewing

Well, we had our first viewing since the house went back on the market.  I don't think they will make an offer as they really wanted a house that could be shared with two families and I don't think the layout of this is right, but we shall see.
Have a soft painful lump on the sole of my foot.  Have battled past the receptionist to get an appointment for Friday afternoon.  She also said that we may get the letter that we requested over a week ago today, so that's a move forward.
So really, it's still slowly, slowly.......

Farce upon farce

Well, having got back from London and already notified the estate agent that the buyers had opted out, we were still faced with a SOLD sign.  Rang......it will be fixed.
Today, after a day away we found it was just the same so Steve removed the SOLD bit.  I contacted the agent to let them know we had left it outside.  He apologised profusely.
Later today we found we had NO sign at all, they had come and removed the whole thing!!!  Good grief.  Following more calls and texts, the agent assured us that the sign would be back up today.
Two hours later it is!

Oh, and the doctor still hasn't managed to find the time to type the letters that we need to fax to London.  We took them in on Monday.

Bloody hell!

So, we get a phone call while we are in London to say that the buyers have pulled out of buying the house!  Both really upset but what can you do?
The house is now back on the market.  Click the link to see what a bargain you could buy!
The house

Then we had to battle past the doctors receptionist to get to see the doc.  Steve's blood pressure is ok thank goodness but it will take all week for the doctor to write a letter for us to fax through to the medical people in London.  Still, as we still have a house to sell I suppose that's ok now.  Fed up though. :-(

Medical in London!

 OK, last week we went for our medical in London. Thought I would post about it so it might help others.

We had everything we needed (document wise) with us which we handed in at reception:

Called for blood test (to detect syphilis apparently), weighed, height measured and blood pressure taken.

Called to another room for chest x-ray (to detect TB)

Called to the doctor. She discussed our medical histories with us. Then, looked in our eyes, mouth and ears.

She listened to our chests, front and back.

She felt our stomachs

She felt my breasts and when my husband went in she checked his 'bits' and asked him to cough

We were both asked to go back to the waiting room.

Then we were taken to another room for our inoculation checks. I needed a tetanus one and my husband needed one for tetanus and pneumonia (because he is 65)

Then we were told that we both needed a fax from our GP to tell them about various medical issues we had but they did make clear that this would in no way prevent us from emigrating.

We were also told that if there was a problem we would be contacted by Monday which was 4 days away and if we wanted we could ring them.

The really painful bit of course was the payment!!

So on Monday we rang to see if the doc could fax stuff through today but of course they can't because it's not NHS!!  Good grief!

It's there!

Well, the package we posted and tracked has arrived.  Getting excited about our medical on Thursday too.  Will keep this space updated

Money, money, money

Well, we have completed the four page form and got all the certificates - birth, marriage etc. and made copies of those.  Got the police check forms and the passport details and have sent those off.  That was the most important and most expensive letter we have ever spent!!!  Nearly £50 to send.  Good grief.  Mind you, we wanted to track its every move because of the contents.
AND.......we have booked our medical exam in London! :-)
We are off next week and are going to make a mini-break of it.  I really want to get my fill of European art before we emigrate so we are going to hit the galleries.  We found trains at strange times which meant we could afford first class tickets and we are staying at a Premier Inn close to the station.  (another £150++)
Keep reading online about the medical procedure.  It's quite thorough so I hope we both get through it ok.  The medical costs us £227 each plus any extra cost for inoculations we need!

Excitement is mounting though.

YEAH!

OK, so things are really starting to move!  Emma had a letter from immigration about what we need to do next.  We have our number and Emma has paid the IV fee.  At the moment the status is 'pending' but when it says 'paid' we can go ahead with the next forms.
We have started filling them in, but can't save them as they are in a protected format.  We needed my Dad's birthday but I had no idea what it was as he died when I was 10.  So we rang Cardiff registry office (thank goodness I had started doing my family tree on Genes Reunited otherwise I would have had no information !) and bought a copy of the certificate.  They very kindly rang me to let me know the date - turns out it was the 13th December 1901.  It also turns out that I am half Welsh!
So since then we have been fairly busy.  We are still waiting for the letter from us.  Emma has sent us her marriage certificate which we need (?) at a cost of $38!!!  Goodness me.

I also have bought some walnut veneer from eBay and given it to Mick (the gardener) to see if he can re-veneer the little cupboard that Mum had and that got ruined.  Hope it works this time.
So things are buzzing here!

Health

Still waiting and waiting but also having problems with my Crohn's disease and lots of pain.  My main worry is that my health will stop us from emigrating so I'm a bit scared.  It would be shocking to let everyone down.  Praying that doesn't happen.
Off for a meal with a group of colleagues that I might not get together with again tomorrow.  Really looking forward to it.
Hope things do work out ok.

SIIIIGGGGGHHHH...........

Waiting and waiting.  Emma had an email yesterday to say that the processing of our petition would take between 6 and 8 weeks.  Talk about fed up!  Both Emma and I are feeling the stress at the moment I think.  I rang them up but didn't get any further information, it's just how it is.
Patience is a virtue and I am going to have to call on all my reserves now.

Ditto

So today, Steve's police check arrived.  Same as mine so we are both legal.  The file is filling.... police checks, birth certificates, marriage certificate and passports......

Police Check

My police check came back this morning.  All clear which is nice.  Assuming Steve's will arrive tomorrow.  Spent a long time folding clothes ready for the removal team.  Amazing a) hw many I have and b) how long it takes to sort and fold them.  We are only leaving clothes out that are not going on the container.
Heard nothing still from the US immigration people.  It's hard to be patient!  Still, that's what we need to be.  It doesn't help that the weather is truly vile at the moment.  Downpours and cold with it.

Slowly, slowly...

Email received to say the police check forms had got to the right place and they have certainly cashed the cheque.
We spent this morning sorting out which clothes were ok to be packed for the 6+ week sea trip.  We bought some plastic boxes for them to go in but they are a bit pathetic.   Be a shame if we've sorted the clothes wrong!  Haven't finished but at least that's a start.  We are taking the hangers to the charity shop having decided that they are cheap enough to buy when we get to the US.  Sadly some of the ones we had have things like Aged 8 written on them, which considering the girls are both nearly 40 is quite shocking.  Hey ho. Watch this space......

Things are moving

This is beginning to get exciting!  Not only have we accepted an offer on the house, but our Application for Visa has been accepted.  Oh my!  So, we have had to get on with some paperwork, including having a police check (£40+ each) which we are still waiting for.  We will also have to have an interview in London and a medical so need to get all the stuff ready for that too.
On the house front, we have just had the surveyor round for the buyers and that seems to have gone well.  so actually we are still playing the waiting game to some extent but things are at least happening.
Just sent Emma's birthday present off which will hopefully be the last one we have to post!

Not waiting now!!!

Sorted........

1.  MRI scan showed no cancer or MS (apparently they thought that's what it might be!) :-)
2. Seems to be just my epilepsy - can easily live with that
3.  WE HAVE ACCEPTED AN OFFER ON THE HOUSE!!

So excited, but trying really hard to keep tabs on it in case it all falls through!  Didn't sleep the first night, but have made a HUGE list of things to do and that has really helped.

Life seems to be changing at the moment - for the good - and we are going out with our darling daughter tonight for a meal........better go and get ready :-)

Waiting

Waiting is the name of the game it seems to me.

• Still waiting for my MRI results, but apparently those are being sent through the post so it can't possibly be serious so that's good.
• Still waiting for an offer on the house - someone else coming to look tomorrow, so keeping fingers crossed.
• Still waiting for the visa to be approved
• Still waiting for the docs to find out what (if anything) is wrong

So I am beginning to think I might be the most patient person in the whole wide world!

Health and things

Always seem to have had various health problems during my life.....  Epilepsy, Cancer, Chron's Disease and ME to name a few.  Don't usually bother with colds and things.  Anyway, have had issues in the last few months with my eye/s.  Twice me left eye apparently was 'pushed' inwards so on the second time, I thought I should get it checked.  Doc said, maybe the epliepsy or a mini-stroke!  Panic!  Worry!
During the last couple of weeks I have had an EEG and a brain scan.  The EEG was a doddle but was abnormal :-( and the brain scan was not pleasant but haven't got the results yet.  As I have also had two episodes of strange 'lights' in my eyes, I needed to return to the doc.  The 'lights' - one an almost complete zig-zag circle and the other a circle of flashing lights in the periphery of my vision apparently may be migraine without the pain.
Well, I can do most things without the pain so that's ok.
Still waiting for the MRI result however and trying really hard not to worry, but it's hard.
Hey ho!

Viewing and waiting

So, we have had some viewings at last and we are just waiting for an offer.  We have reduced the price a bit which should help.
The visa is still not approved so now am wondering what order things will happen?  Wish there was some change, either an offer or the visa then we might know.......watch this space!